Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Mr. Hague
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what mechanisms exist for the monitoring of UK aid to Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Malik
In Afghanistan, the Joint Co-ordination and Monitoring Board is the overarching body responsible for monitoring political and development progress. It was established to monitor the implementation of the Afghanistan compact and provide a forum to provide direction on major policy issues or blockages (e.g. problems with co-ordination or financing). It meets four times a year and is attended by heads of mission and chaired by the UN special representative and the Afghan President’s senior economic adviser.

In addition, various groups meet to co-ordinate international reconstruction and development work in Afghanistan:

Eight consultative groups (sector level) and 22 working groups (line ministry level) all comprising Afghan Government and international community representatives, co-ordinate and monitor the implementation of the compact, contribute to budget formulation, and monitor aid effectiveness with their sector.

The External Advisory Group meets every month and is a forum for donors to discuss progress on the Afghanistan national development strategy (ANDS). Chaired by DFID since August 2006, it is a tool for pushing the government on ANDS issues and preserving donor buy-in.

The Policy Action Group was set up by General Richards and President Karzai as a short term response to security difficulties in the south. It is chaired by the Minister of Education Hanif Atmar and UN assistance mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). There are four pillars: security, information, reconstruction and development and international.

World bank-led donor meetings are meetings of donors only, with no Government representation, to discuss Afghanistan national development strategy issues. These meetings are usually focused on economic issues.

DFID, the FCO and the Multi-Departmental Post Conflict Reconstruction Unit use a series of internal reporting mechanisms for monitoring aid delivered to Afghanistan.